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Construction of CF Bow Tip
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Irv
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December 10, 2018 - 3:12 pm
Member Since: December 23, 2017
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I just received a wood violin bow that makes use of a metal repair tip end (see attached photo).  I was wondering about the internal construction of a cf bow tip end.  I know the shaft is hollow, but I believe that a metal rod is inserted toward the tip, perhaps for balance weight or strength.  If it is rather short, I could adjust the angle of a peg reamer to match the taper of tip end and bond it to a wood stick using a high strength epoxy created for golf clubs.8432AA6B-D17C-449D-A426-2AA342143F8D.jpeg

Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
December 11, 2018 - 6:22 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16537

Is that your job Irv? Is it heavy?

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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Irv
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December 11, 2018 - 7:24 pm
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Hi Fiddlerman.  I purchased the bow on eBay because of the replacement head.  The seller listed the bow as undamaged!  The name on the stick is Carl Weimer and the wood is very close grained and black.  Very responsive given the tap test against the knuckles.

The balance point is about 1/2” more toward the head when compared with my new Fiddlerman Yellow Sandalwood Bow.  The haired bow weighs 60 grams, compared with 66 grams for the haired Yellow Sandalwood bow.  The frog is very well fitted but nothing about it is flashy.  There is no wrapping at all and the leather pad is about 3 inches long.  It looks like the repairing luthier considered the balance to be perfect and made no adjustments.  

The metal head was perfectly mated to the graft stick and a small dap of black glue is visible.  One transverse pin was used.  The metal is not magnetic but is too light to be stainless steel.  Definitely not aluminum.  My first guess is magnesium.  

I did find another Carl Weimer on line with a wooden head, so I am thinking what I have is a repair.  I could easily use my gold plated tungsten wrap material to bring the balance point more toward the frog, but it seems fine as found.  I am thinking if someone liked the bow so much to have it repaired in this manner, it must be pretty good.  I think that I could repair other bows in a similar manner using a donor carbon fiber bow head.

I would like to gain experience with more costly bows, but do not have the resources to invest $400 to $1000 on an example.  So I plan to salvage broken ones.

My ultimate goal is with bamboo, but I need more experience with good conventional bows to see if what I make is any good.

Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.

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Shane "Chicken" Wang

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December 11, 2018 - 9:27 pm
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@Irv I've said it before and I'll say it again. You have got to be one of the most fascinating people I have ever met.

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
December 12, 2018 - 11:49 am
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16537

Very interesting Irv. Thanks

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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